The Angry King Series

Boleslaus II was the king of the Polish Monarchy, but he

didn't like the job. One day while hunting he slipped away

from his companions and disguised himself as a common

laborer in marketplace. He hired the use of his shoulders for

carrying burdens for a few pence a day. A search was made,

of course, and when his majesty was found there was an

indignant cry among the elite that he should debase himself

by so vile an employment. He responded that the weight he

bore in the marketplace was nothing compared to the crown.

He said he slept more in the last four nights than during all

his reign. He told them to choose whom they would to be

king, for he was through with the madness. He was forced,

however, against his will to return to the throne and reign.

In his book Royalty In All Ages, Thiselton-Dyer tells of

many kings in history who have longed to get out from under

the crown and escape from the robes of royalty, and live

among the common people. In contrast to this, Jesus was a

king who all His life lived among the common people, and

only at the end did He ever wear a crown, and then it was a

lowly crown of thorns. Jesus was born king of the Jews, but

all His life He managed to do what so many kings have tried

to do and failed. He managed to disguise Himself and dwell

among the people, and learn of their needs and longings in

life. No son of royalty ever got to know his people better than

did the Royal Son of David. He not only lived among them,

he was one of them.

There were times in His public ministry when the crowds

were so excited about His miracles that they tried to take

Him by force to make Him king, but Jesus avoided this.

Right up to the final week of His life Jesus remained a king in

disguise totally removed from all that had to do with royalty.

Palm Sunday, however, brings us to that one day, at the

beginning of His final week, where He removes the disguise

and proclaims Himself to be the king-the Royal Son of David;

the promise Messiah, and the King of Israel. This act did not

sever his roots from the soil of the common man, however. In

fact, everything about Palm Sunday exalts the common man,

and everything common. Jesus never became a royal snob

who looked down on any man. The very way in which He

rode into Jerusalem revealed Him to be a king of the common

people, and not one who would cater to the elite and

powerful.

Jesus did not ride into the holy city on a noble Arabian

stallion to appeal to the military like any other king would

do. Instead, He rode on a colt. Matthew tells us this was to

fulfill the prophecy of Zech. 9:9 which says, "Tell ye the

daughter of Zion, behold, thy King cometh unto thee meek,

and riding upon a donkey and upon a colt a foal of a

donkey." Jesus did not come as a king of war, but as a king

of peace. He came in the tradition of the Patriarchs,

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They were not men of war like

the kings of Israel. They were men of peace. Only once was

Abraham forced into military action. Jesus too was forced

into violent action on this occasion, but primarily the

Patriarchs and He were men of peace.

The colt was symbolic of the fact that Jesus was a king of

peace, and a king of the common people. Jesus is a king who

exalts the lowly, and the poet describes even the donkey

responding to those who mock his worthless hide.

Fools! For I also had my hour;

One far fierce hour and sweet;

There was a shout about my ears,

And palms about my feet.

The Apostles that Jesus chose were common men, and if

you check the backgrounds of the great men He has used in

history, you will find lowly tinkers like John Bunyan and

William Carey, or shoe salesman like D. L. Moody, or the

great Scottish preacher Alexander Whyte who was born out

of wedlock. He was unwanted by men, but Jesus wanted him

and used him, for he was, and is, the king of the unwanted.

And it was because he did care for the common man that he

was so angry on that first Palm Sunday. Jesus was very

seldom angry, but on this occasion He was so filled with

righteous indignation that He could not be content to give

only a verbal lashing to the offenders as He had done before.